Tom Riddle strolled down the hall to the Slytherin Common room, thinking of a meeting he had planned that evening with a few of his most ardent followers. Soon, very soon, he would initiate his plan to ensure his own power and immortality and their unwavering support was key. His entire life had been building to this moment, the moment he would fracture his own soul.
He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the first year girl who scooted past him, nervously avoiding him, until she fell to the ground. He heard a thunk as she hit the ground. Her papers flew across the stone floor.
He turned, looking at the girl crumpled on the ground. She was immobile, with a nasty gash to her forehead beginning to bleed, matting her long blond hair. Suddenly, she sat straight up, her big, blue eyes unblinking. She stared at him, her eyes glazed over. Her hand raised, her finger pointed at him.
"You won't be strong enough. She's the key. Her and her alone. Destiny and time divide you. Without her, you can only live half a life. "
The girl slumped again. Riddle froze a moment, stunned by her words. His mind began to race, but a low moan from the girl broke his trance. He rushed to her, shaking her shoulders until she began to wake.
"Girl, what just happened to you?"
"I don't know, Mr. Riddle. I was walking along and it all went dark." She looked afraid, likely of his reputation.
"You don't remember anything. Nothing you said? Nothing you saw?" He tried to infuse a note of compassion on his voice, but he couldn't quite pull it off. He had never excelled at comforting others, not that he had ever really tried.
"No sir." The girl replied, reaching her hand up to inspect the gash on her head.
"Get yourself to the hospital wing, girl."
He worked hard to control the tone of his voice, to give away no hint of the emotion he was feeling. Inside, however, he was reeling. He rushed through the common room, avoiding the attempts of several subordinates to engage him. They, being use to his moods, simply averted their eyes and pretended not to notice his angry expression.
He made his way to his room. It was unusual to have a room of one's own within the dorms, but the other Slytherin males were only too happy to crowd themselves in to the other boys dormitory space to ensure his comfort. His space was quite cozy, including a rather large bed and a comfortable seating area in addition to his desk and shelves full of books and items from his collection of magical artifacts.
He threw himself on to his bed, replaying the girl's words over and over. There was no sense in disputing that the girl had had a vision. Her prophecy rang with truth, especially given his coming plans.
"Without her, you can only live half a life." He had spent his entire life avoiding any such connection. He prided himself on the fact that he did not need anyone in his life. He did use people from time to time, but only for singular purposes and they were always disposable to him.
Whoever she was, of course, he needed to find her. The prophecy didn't specify her exact usefulness, but he had faith enough in himself to know that he could quickly deduce how said woman could be of use to him. He twirled his family ring about as he pondered his next step. No descendant of Salazar Slytherin would let something so mundane stand in his way.
The part he really couldn't quite wrap his head around was "Destiny and time divide you." Was it just space, a simple summoning spell could resolve the issue. Time and destiny, however, were another matter entirely. The vagueness of divination has always been one of the main reason he put such little stock in its study. Still, he was quite confident that there was no problem too great for him to solve…no destiny he could not bend to his own will.